Friday, June 30, 2017

The the postman will pick up tomorrow (after I carry these two heavy boxes downstairs and put them on Mom's front porch). Only have the five International Orders to take to the post office...whew!

There are a handful still in the Etsy shop...so if you want one at that 31% discount...get it soon. When they are sold out, you'll need to go to Amazon.com for them. BTW, Amazon (US and EUR) should have the book listed on their sites now as well.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Look what arrived yesterday! My book PROOF copy. It a printed copy of what will be printed...and it "always" needs corrections...things I just don't notice looking at the computer screen...but jump out at me when I see it on actual paper.

I have finished all of the changes and sent the new files back to the printer for their review. With a little luck...I can order books next week for shipment to everyone that has placed a Pre-Order Sale Price of 31% Off MSRP at Amazon. If the books come really early, I'll order a group...mail out and then catch any other orders that come in between then and 3 July.

Thought you might enjoy a few sneak peaks at some of the inside pages, so I'll show you some of the things that I found "to change"....ha!

The front of the book has some seam designs aligned on strips of "faux fabric". There are also 3 inside pages like this but the fabrics are solid strips of color. Here, at the top of one of these pages...the top seam is all but "cut off". So, had to go adjust the bleed for the pages...realign and reduce some strips, then reposition the seams.

Here, the Table of Contents didn't have all of the bullets lined up. I had checked the spelling...but did not pay attention to the indents. (Maryanne, I should have not tried to do this edit on my own...even though it is only a handful of pages...I am apparently ill-equiped to catch the small things. Ha!)

In this bottom seam on Page #25, I'm thinking "where did that red ball come from?". Well, it should have been a stack of sequins...so had to go into Illustrator and redraw (then let that link into the InDesign master file) and finally export into the Adobe PDF file which the printer asks for.

Here on page 73, the last seam of that page was "chopped off". Had to go in and move the entire group of seams up a smidge on that page.

On page 94, these seams were "dancing cheek to cheek" as they all tried to crowd into the space. Went in and shifed the entire page group up/down to give these center ones some more room.

Found on this page, the sequin groups in the top seam were "marching off the page". So, went in and re-aligned them in the proper space.

Hope you have enjoyed a little peek behind the curtain of creating a book; when you are acting as author and creator of the artwork.

Saturday, June 17, 2017

My next book is at the printer! It is available on my Etsy Shop for a few days...at a 31% savings! Crazy Quilting-Volume III: Fancy Seam Designs. You will love this book!

Unlike book pre-sales in the past, I will only be ordering the EXACT number of books to be delivered from my Etsy Shop. So, if you do not get your order in by the deadline (midnight 2 July); you will have to get your copy at Amazon.com at the full MSRP of $31.95.

I really think you will enjoy this book. It includes 500-full color seam designs. These designs include thread embroidery and elements of Silk Ribbon Embroidery, Beads, Buttons, Sequins and more. You can use templates to create the base seam design (shown as black in these seams) or free-hand stitch these designs.

I do give you the template designs for scanning at the back of the book. But, I'm also going to create a free download document in the next few days for everyone that purchases a book from the Etsy shop so you can just download it and print directly to your vellum paper IF you are going to use templates for these designs.

You don't need the templates, just offering because that is MY own preferred method to create seams.

I'm super excited about this book...and know you will love it too!

Notes:

International Sales: if you are interested in this sales price; contact me so we can discuss. I have not authorized international sales on my Etsy Shop Site because the postage amounts are so un-realistic for international shipments in the past.

Book Series: the prior "thinking" about this continuing series was to introduce more patterns for embroidery motifs next; but they are taking months to create...so I pushed the seam book to the front. No worries, the motifs are still coming...just taking a huge amount of effort to get each illustration converted to vector drawings. Perhaps later this year, or next year...hugs!

Thursday, June 15, 2017

Open Registration 15-17 June. Please carefully read this entire post before you register for this class.

IMPORTANT: This course DOES require that you have first completed the Basic Crazy Quilt Course (BCQC-1) before registering.

Completion of the BCQC-2 course or any of the other ICQC courses is not necessary to sign up for this Ribbon Embroidery course.

There will be TEN different tasks to complete in this course, with about twelve different motifs to stitch. All of the designs will be printed on fabric (or optionally you can trace the designs in the handout to your fabric). (The tenth task is a surprise and any ribbon size/color can be used)

The motifs for this module will be stitched directly to fabric rather than to crazy quilt blocks. Most of these designs are very detailed...and tracing them through layers of fabric is just not feasible. So, consider these "technique tasks". After you have learned each of these motifs...you can pick/choose which ones to use again in the future for your existing CQ projects. The finished motifs CAN of course be used in new pieced blocks as well as stitching samples for current blocks.

I will be providing all of the designs to you as "printable" designs. Each page of the PDF handout for the first task will be able to print directly to fabric sheets. These will then be hooped and the stitching done on top of the printed design. You do not need to "trace" any of the designs...unless you just don't want to print them on fabric.

I created my own printable fabric using freezer paper (tutorial is in the links above) for almost all of these motifs. (I forgot to print one...and then had to use a sheet of my purchased fabric sheets for that design). Or, if you prefer...you can order printable sheets for your inkjet or lazer copier/printer from Amazon.com or other source for all designs. You will need only one standard 10-page package to print all of the designs provided (Wild Rose Blossoms, Daisies, Berry Vine, Apple Blossoms, Tiny Rose Frames, Birds & Insects, Pomegranate, and Ribbon Lady). I have tried very hard NOT to repeat the specific lessons in the Crazy Quilting Volume II: Ribbon Embellishments book, even though some stitches are of course the same. The "Ribbon Lady" is the only direct cross-over...and she has been requested so much that I knew you would demand she be in this course. So this course AND the book will give you all of the ribbon experience needed to create just about any motif you may desire to stitch!

You will of course need silk ribbon for this course. Multiple sizes (2mm, 4mm, 7mm & 13mm). You can use white for all tasks...and color then with ink markers (Promarker brand recommended)...or purchase various colors in the needed sizes. Substitution is possible...but not encouraged. Here are the sizes/colors the stitched models used. You can change the colors to suit your own personal "vision" of the flower/fruit/animal being created (read left side for task topics). (Satin and organza are poor substitutes for silk ribbon...but I know some of you international folks may have no choice but to use these. If so, you will work harder and the results will not be perfect...but it is managable for most of the tasks.)

Here is the chart for supplies (ribbon/thread):

A package of large chenille and tapestry needles are used for ribbon work. I expect you already have these from the work we did on the BCQC class.

Please print this Silk Ribbon Size/Color Table image for your reference. Note the Color Substitutions information on the right side and the size substitution information at the bottom when determining what ribbon you may need to purchase and what you already have.

Ask questions via email to me if you need to and I can let you know if your substitutions will work.

To register, please email me your NAME, State/Country, Email Address you wish to use for this course to shaw.kathy@yahoo.com

PLEASE do not register if you have not completed the BCQC as it is a pre-registration requirement. (Note: the next open registration for BCQC-1 will be 22-24 June and the next ICQC-105 course will repeat later this summer IF you miss out this time around.)

After sending your registration, I will respond with a "Welcome" email. If you don't receive this within ONE DAY of your registration email...then assume that I did not receive your information and resend it. Note that I don't accept late registrations because these classes fill so fast.

This course (and all courses) will be held at an assigned Blog for this specific class. You will need access to a working computer to take this online course. If you are especially "tech saavy" perhaps you can manage with an Ipad or other tablet...but you will need to be able to print from it and take/upload photographs to the private class blog. In the past, laptops and desktops perform great...but tablets did not usually.

Sunday, June 11, 2017

My progress was slowed by a couple of days as I managed to pull my back out...just getting up from a chair. I mean really, WHO DOES THAT! But, today I seem to be all better (crossing my fingers)...so managed to put the beads on Lydia's Block. It is now ready to mail to the next lady in the Round Robin (Floral & Roses Traditional).

Here are some close-up photos of the areas:

On the Blanket Stitch seam, I added some sequins and 3mm Swarovski bicone crystals to the prongs.

On the Straight Stitch seam, I added some of the little yellow striped beads that Lydia sent around with her block, thought they were so cute. Also, some sequins, 3mm Swarovski bicone crystals, and pearl rice beads.

On the little blue metalic Straight Stitch Seam, I added some sequins, sead beads, 3mm Swarovski bicone crystals, tiny bugle beads, and sead beads. I also added a wee little ribbon butterfly to the fantasy silk ribbon flower seam and a lace butterfly in the space between seams.

Lastly I added some lime green sead beads to the pink lace seam and created a button cluster for the doily area with buttons, glass leaves, porcelain roses, sequins, crystals, Swarovski crystal bicones, and metallic beads (these last were also from Lydia's furnished beads).

This block was so much fun, it was really hard to quit! I had "plans" in my head for the entire block...just had to make myself stop so the other ladies would have some space to work as well.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

So far, last month was nuts with so many appointments...and this month has begun the same way. But, none today...yea! Gives me time to work on Lydia's block...here is the beginning.

The day is very overcast...so a lamp is needed, even though there is sunshine coming in the windows behind me.

Thought I'd do a few seams, and a button cluster in the corner on the bottom left. So, I begin with my base seams along the sewn seam lines. Next, add some lace along the curved seam and a crochet piece on the curved patch.

Isn't the little doily pretty...it was a gift but I can't remember from who. It has been in my lace drawer. The floral lace piece is also a gift from Nicki Lee...who has the best dyed lace!

Lastly, here are the base seams. Not very fancy yet...but that will come with more layers of "pretty" added. So, enough for today...back at this tomorrow (after yet another appointment).